I recently spent a week in New York where I gave two lectures regarding the history of the scenes depicted in the Maine Labor Mural at Long Island University in Brooklyn. One was to an arts and culture class and the other to an art history class. The students were very engaged and asked some probing and intelligent questions. They were kind of amazed as to what is happening to us here in Maine.

I also took my nephew who is almost 8 to a friends studio in Long Island City where he sat for a small portrait study. It is not necessarily true that a child has a hard time holding still. I have found that they are completely intrigued by the process and delighted to see the outcome.

It is such a wonderful way to introduce them to painting. I love it.